Craziest Wedding Superstitions That Persist Today

Wedding superstitions are as old as the institution of marriage itself. What's most incredible about these superstitions is how many of them still persist today. In fact, some are so engrained in wedding culture that they have become part of common customs we take for granted. From bad luck and dastardly ghouls to lifelong curses and hexes, here are the most interesting wedding-related superstitions that still play a role in how we plan and execute our big wedding day.

The Bridal Veil

The image of a beautiful bride in a glorious, bright white gown and veil is as classic as they come. But did you know the veil is part of an age-old superstition that dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times? The original purpose of the veil wasn't the shroud the bride in mysterious beauty, but to ward off spirits who would surely be jealous of her joyous love and good fortune. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the veil remains a sight at modern weddings all across the world.

The Bouquet Toss

The throwing and catching of the bridal bouquet is another wedding tradition with a superstitious past. We all know the superstition that the woman to catch the bouquet will be the next to marry, but the superstition goes even deeper than that. Original bouquets were made of strong herbs that were said to ward off negative spirits and encourage luck and fertility. It was Queen Victoria of England who began using flowers instead (she was a bona fide wedding trend influencer of her time, also pioneering the use of white wedding dresses in the west). But as with many traditions, the meaning changed over time. In medievaltimes, wedding guests would attempt to grab a piece of the bride's dress for their own good luck charm, and the bride would throw the bouquet both to distract them and give them an alternate luck offering.

A Rainy Wedding Day

Ever hear that it's an omen of good luck to have a rainy wedding day? The superstution goes back many hundreds of years in cultures where rain was considered a symbol of spiritual cleansing, renewal, and fertility -- just what a newlywed couple needs!

Wedding Bells

A mainstay in weddings from many cultures, I always assumed wedding bells were to inform presumably-small villages that a pair of locals had tied the knot. However, as with many of these superstitions, the ringing of bells was believed to ward off evil spirits who might attempt to interfere with the wedding. I guess the old announcement "If anyone has any objections to this couple uniting in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace" doesn't apply to the jealous undead hordes!

This list only covers a select few superstitions that have been historically associated with your big day -- and lot of the reason for there being so many of them is because marriages in ancient times were arguably even more important than they are today. That's becuase they were both a lifetime commitment between a couple as well as a business arrangement between two families. For that reason, there was even more pressure to make your marriage a success -- and even more spooky superstitions associated with the ritual!